Nothing
by Sprinkles1
Summary: Sometimes what we want the most is exactly what we need the least.
1. Default Chapter

This is a public announcement: I never deleted "Nothing" from fanfic. Some anonymous idiot at fanfic did that for me. Anyway, I want to public apologize for flaming Space_Pirate_Minagi. My behavior was uncalled for and I should have found a better way to deal with your criticism. Also, since my story was deleted, I'm over a 100 miles away from home at school, and unable to find all of my original copies of this story, this story will be slightly different from the original. (Author dodges tomatoes.) I'm sorry just work with me people. Besides, I didn't know how to fix the other version of this story. Sorry!  
  
Now on with the show!  
  
"Nothing"  
  
Chapter One  
  
~ = lyrics  
  
= mental conversation "" = regular conversation  
  
Disclaimer" I own neither the characters to Tenchi Muyo nor the words to Brandy's "Nothing."  
  
~Nobody knows but it's for real  
I can feel it, I do  
Nobody knows that I miss you  
Nobody knows but it's the truth.  
I can feel it, I do. ~  
  
It was a beautiful summer night. The stars were beautiful, the air was cool and Ryoko was relaxing in her favorite spot, under the cherry blossom tree by the lake. The stars reflected like fireflies on the blue silk water.  
  
Rarely did she get to do this anymore. Lately, she has been trying to stay out of Tenchi's way. It seems that Tenchi has picked up where Ayeka has ended. Now, Tenchi is the one constantly scolding Ryoko, while Ayeka would flat out ignore her. Ayeka would constantly grin at her. Not really a grin, but more of a smirk. The kind of smirk one wears when you know that you have the won the battle against your enemy, but they are still in the dark.  
  
thought Ryoko   
  
"Could it be?" she said out loud. "No, Tenchi would have at least been man enough to tell me if he did choose her."  
  
~You cannot pretend that I don't even matter  
You and I know better  
You've been away from me for too long  
It's time for you to come on home  
No one can say what is right for me  
I need for you to come on over  
I'll be waiting. ~  
  
Just then, Ryoko heard a sigh and two people talking somewhere nearby.  
  
"That's strange, I thought everyone was back at the house."  
  
She followed the two voices and was shocked to where it had led her. She was now standing in front of the same cave that she was trapped in so long ago. She had vowed never to step in that hell hole again, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She walked inside and her heart instantly broke into two.  
  
Sure enough, there was Tenchi and Ayeka were having a picnic. The only light inside the cave came from either the moon or from the dozens of candles from all around. Ryoko quickly hid inside a corner.  
  
" Can you believe it, Tenchi? It's our 5 month anniversary!" beamed Ayeka.  
"I know, I can't believe it either!" he answered. " I remember when I first fell in love with you."  
" Oh, please, Tenchi, tell me when that happened," Ayeka pleaded while cuddling into his arms.  
"I was rescuing you from Kagato. I knew that you didn't have a chance and so did you, but you kept at it anyway. You were willing to die for me that day." (Typical male, they always want a damsel in distress to make them feel superior.)  
  
"But Ryoko was much more powerful," Ayeka reasoned.  
"That may be true, but she'll never be you. You're soft, gentle, elegant and sophisticated. She'll never be those things. Give her some sake and a good fight, and she'll be happy," Tenchi joked.  
  
Ayeka laughed. "You're right, but she has amazing strength and loyalty."  
Tenchi paused for a minute. "I know. She has survived through so many things. That's why I know that she'll get over with her infatuation with me," he reasoned.  
"You're hard to get over, Tenchi," Ayeka whispered.  
"I know, " he answered while taking her mouth into a kiss.  
  
Ryoko gasped. It just couldn't be. The only man that she has ever loved and her arch nemesis are now together. Not only that, but he had just talked about her as if she were some high school girl with a crush. What she felt was love, no matter what anyone else had thought. She teleported out of the cave and returned to the lake. She just couldn't believe it. She was defeated once again by the Royal Jurian family. They have managed to screw her over yet again, but this would be the very last time.  
  
~I am nothing without you baby Nothing it's driving me crazy Nothing, no one , I'm so alone Nothing without you baby. ~  
  
With her head hung down in defeat, Ryoko teleported back to the house. She sat in the living room in the dark, with tears trickling down her face. She sat there staring into space, not even paying attention to the small figure walking towards the couch.  
  
"Ryoko. Ryoko, please don't cry. He's not worth it," Washu soothed.  
  
She looked up at Washu, who was now in adult form.  
  
"What do you mean he's not worth it? He's everything to me!" she shouted. "Dammit!" Ryoko screamed as she threw a vase at the wall.  
  
"Ryoko!" Washu commanded.  
  
"Save it!" Ryoko cut off, then teleported away.  
  
"Don't run away from me, Ryoko!" shouted to the air.  
  
~No one can see inside of me  
No one can see how much I care  
I need you, I do  
Nobody sees the tears I cry  
No one is there to dry my eyes  
I need you, I do  
  
she reasoned.  
  
"Nothing else left to do, but sit here and feel sorry for myself."  
  
Ryoko pondered for a minute, "Nah, that's not my style," she mumbled.  
  
"I'm Ryoko, the Space Pirate and demi-goddess," she added.  
  
"I don't crap off of anyone. I always get what I want," she encouraged herself. "Why should now be any different."  
  
"I'll just change my approach. If he wants quiet and docile, I'll give him quiet and docile," Ryoko reasoned. "I can be everything that Ayeka is and more!"  
  
~ I don't care what they say about you  
They don't know how I feel for you  
I don't care what they say about me  
They don't know and they can't see. ~  
  
Suddenly there was a new fire in Ryoko's eyes and a devilish grin began to creep upon her face."  
  
"Tenchi is mine!" she hissed then drifted off to sleep.  
  
~I am nothing without you baby  
Nothing it's driving me crazy  
Nothing, no one. I'm so alone  
Nothing without you baby. ~  
  
Shout outs to everyone who loves this fic and especially to my girl Angelamasaki. 


	2. But it Was All Just A Dream

Sorry I took so long to update. Don't really have an excuse, other than laziness and procrastination, but I just knew you would all understand. For the record, this is a Sesso/Ryoko fic. Don't worry people, I may be taking a new approach, but don't worry. It'll make sense in the end, I promise.  
  
Disclaimer: Deep down in my heart of hearts *sniff, sniff * I know apart of Tenchi and company belong to me, but for legal reasons, we're going to say that they don't.  
  
" "= talking = thinking  
  
Chapter 2 " A New Day and Even More Problems"  
  
Ryoko woke up to a new day and sighed. Today was going to be her new start. Last night gave her plenty of time to reflect and she was now able to see things in a new light. Yes, today was going to be a new start.  
  
She floated downstairs, humming along the way to join everyone else for breakfast.  
  
"My, aren't we happy?" teased Washu.  
  
"Yes, we are," Ryoko answered back.  
  
"Let me guess, you found an extra bottle of Sake in the cupboard last night, Demon?" baited Ayeka.  
  
Ryoko thought to herself.  
  
"Good morning to you too, Ayeka," Ryoko responded.  
  
Ayeka was flabbergasted. She certainly hadn't planned on Ryoko responded like that.  
  
"You might want to pick up your jaw before someone trips on it, Ayeka," Washu teased.  
  
Yosho chuckled.  
  
The gang sat down to eat breakfast, afterwards, they all went off to do their own things. Since Tenchi didn't have to go to school today he was helping Sasami clean the kitchen.  
  
"Tenchi, I'm going to need you to go into town for me. We're a little low on groceries."  
  
"Sure thing, Sasami, just hand me the list."  
  
She handed him a list. "You might want to take someone with you to carry the groceries back."  
  
Excited over the chance to spend an entire day alone with Tenchi, Ryoko eagerly jumped at the task. "I'll go!"  
  
"Uh…" Tenchi started, but then noticed the look of hurt and disappointment on her face.  
  
"We can even have Sasami come along. You feel like spend a day in Tokyo, kid" Ryoko suggested.  
  
"Really?" the little girl chirped.  
  
"Yeah, and we can even check out that newly renovated art museum that you have been dying to see. That is, if Tenchi doesn't mind," Ryoko finished while turning to him for approval.  
  
"Well.." he started.  
  
"I think it's a great idea," Ayeka finished while coming in from hanging laundry.  
  
"Really!" Tenchi and Ryoko both asked in surprise.  
  
"Most definitely, Lord Tenchi. I think Sasami has more than earned a day out of this house and besides," she added. " It would be the perfect opportunity to take care of that THING you've been meaning to do. Don't you agree, Lord Tenchi.?"  
  
"Actually, I think you're right," Tenchi grinned.  
  
Noticing between the look between the two and realizing that they were probably talking about her, Ryoko began chewing on her bottom lip and went off to help Sasami with her shopping list.  
  
******************  
  
The three got off of the bus and took in the atmosphere. Everything was loud and busy. So different from their quaint country lives back home.  
  
"Ooh, can we go sightseeing first, Tenchi?" Sasami squealed.  
"Sure, we're in no hurry."  
  
The next 3 hours were spent on shopping and taking in the sights. The three were now relaxing on a bench, watching the crowd pass them by.  
  
"Are either of you in the mood for ice cream?" Tenchi offered.  
"Sure," they agreed.  
  
"I'll have a strawberry cone," Sasami shouted.  
  
"What will you have, Ryoko," he asked.  
  
"I'll have double fudge," she answered without looking away from the dress in a store window.  
  
"Got it," he answered then walked off.  
  
Sasami walked up to Ryoko and began looking at the dress as well.  
  
"It's really pretty, Ryoko," she started.  
"Yeah, it sure is," Ryoko agreed.  
"You would look great in it, Ryoko!"  
"No. That dress wasn't made for me. It was made for someone with sophistication and elegance. Not me," Ryoko sighed.  
"Ryoko don't be ridiculous. You have as much of a right as anyone else would to that dress," Sasami encouraged.  
"Yeah and a space pirate doesn't deserve something like that."  
"We're not talking about the dress anymore, are we, Ryoko?"  
  
What do you mean, Sasami?" Ryoko looked down at the worried little girl.  
  
Sasami sighed. "I couldn't sleep last night because of my nightmares, so I went to look for Ayeka, but I couldn't find her and then I saw you crying downstairs," Sasami sobbed. "Please don't be mad at me, Ryoko," she sniffed. " I didn't mean to eavesdrop."  
  
Taking a deep breath, Ryoko looked down at the little girl.  
"It's okay, Kid," Ryoko soothed. "I'm not mad at you."  
"Really," Sasami sniffed.  
"Really," Ryoko soothed, "So what's this I hear about you and nightmares?" she asked, grateful to change the topic.  
  
"I think it was a warning from Tsunami. You were in it, Ryoko and so was everyone else. I saw a few people that I didn't recognize, including this young girl with long, black hair and two men are supposed to be brothers. The girl is from our time, but for some reason, she keeps going back into the past," the little girl spat out.  
  
"What's so scary about that?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Well," Sasami started. "There's some type of dark force that comes from that time into this one to take over Tenchi's sword. This force wanted to take over his time, but won't have the resources, until he follows the girl into our time. Apparently the two brothers both have magical swords, that are able stop it from succeeding."  
  
"What about these brothers?" Ryoko asked. "Are they a threat to us and what do they have to do with anything?"  
  
"One has changed his ways, but the other one can't be fully trusted as of yet. But I do know that they will have something to do with a huge fight that will decide the fate of both worlds."  
  
"Why can't you have normal nightmares like other kids?" Ryoko joked. "Like a monster under your bed or something."  
  
Sasami paused. "I don't know, but there's one more thing Ryoko."  
  
"Lay it on me, Kid," Ryoko sighed  
  
"According to Tsunami, you're going to be in the middle of it all and will have to make the greatest sacrifice of them all."  
  
"Are you saying that Tsunami predicts that…"  
"Yes, Ryoko," Sasami sobbed, "I think Tsunami says you're going to die."  
"Are you sure?"  
"What else could she mean, Ryoko? Do you have anything worth MORE than your life worth sacrificing?"  
  
"I guess not," Ryoko whispered when it finally sunk in. "What about Tenchi? Are you going to tell him?"  
  
Sasami looked down at her feet. "Tsunami told me not to tell anyone else but you for right now. She says that this is all apart of a bigger picture and that they will know when it's time for them to know."  
  
Ryoko nodded with acceptance of what Sasami had just said and slunk back into the bench chair.  
  
Just then, the Jurian prince appeared.  
  
" Hey you two! Sorry I took so long. That line was killer," Tenchi exclaimed while handing them their cones.  
  
"It's okay, Tenchi," Sasami replied wryly.  
"That's great to hear. For a minute, one would have thought that your best friend had died from the look on your face or something. You sure you okay, Sasami?" Tenchi asked with concern.  
  
Ryoko thought to herself.  
  
"Don't be silly, Tenchi, I'm fine," Sasami beamed.  
  
"That's great to hear. How about we go to the art museum before heading back home. I heard they have a new exhibit from the Fuedal Era. You'll guys will love it! Trust me," he persuaded.  
  
"Sure," the girls agreed wearily and then followed in pursuit.  
  
Next time on "Nothing" : Enter Kagome, exit Ryoko. 


End file.
